


From Within

by twerkformemes



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 15:56:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14084400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twerkformemes/pseuds/twerkformemes
Summary: Des walks a fine line between the light and succumbing to the dark side, as memories and past experiences have turned him into a hardened young man hunted by the Empire. (OC)





	From Within

PRESENT

Des ran as far as his legs would take him, not once looking back at the now burning Jedi Temple, a squad of clones hot on his heels. His heart sank as he continued to run for his life, thinking of what had become of his home, his family, the only life that he had known. He rounded a corner of a nearby alleyway, not knowing where it would lead or how he would get out of the mess he was in, his heart pounding with every step.

He entered the alleyway at full speed, actively trying to avoid every shot being fired at him, by men he once thought of as friends. The sense of anger he felt at the betrayal these men committed pushed him further and faster, fueling his desire to escape.

Des rounded the corner, spotting a landing where he could climb on and get to the roof, giving him enough distance between himself and his former friends, so that he could get away. As he approached the landing, he heard the familiar sounds of booted footsteps stopping him in is his tracks. He looked up, only to see about half a dozen more clones pointing their rifles at him, fingers on the trigger, ready to fire. Des frantically scanned around trying to make notes of a place that could be used as a possible escape but to no avail. He was surrounded by close to a dozen troopers.

"Shit."

2 HOURS BEFORE

It was over in a blink of an eye. Des remembered the feeling of dread overwhelming him as his master froze, dropping her light saber mid - swing, abruptly ending their sparring session. Des sensed his master's extreme discomfort through the force.

"Master Ti-Kin, what's the matter? Are you alright?" Des asked, quickly becoming apprehensive at his master's state. Always known for her soft and level-headed nature, to see his master react so suddenly and violently filled him with worry.

"Master..? What's going on? Are you alr-?" It hit him, he had felt it too. The pain, the sorrow, the lives of the many Jedi that lived in the temple being taken. Gone.

"We need to leave if we know what is good for us." Ti- Kin said as she picked up her green bladed saber, ushering Des out of the open training ground, somehow managing to do both in one swift motion.

Des pulled away from his master's hold. Spinning around and facing the Zabrak. He couldn't help but notice he was now taller than his master, something he would have teased her about, had it not been for the sense of impending doom overwhelming the both of them.

"We can't just leave." He said, watching his Master intently.

"Padawan, is this really the time to argue with me? We do not have time to discuss this. You will do as I say." Ti-Kin's voice raising, filled with a sternness she seldom used with her student.

Des was surprised by his Master's harsh tone but held his resolve, looking at his master with a fire in his eyes.

"Master, with all due respect, we need to stay here and wait for the others. We can't just run. What if there are people that need help? What about the younglings?"

He paused, waiting a second before he continued.

"Please Master, I'm sure things aren't as bad as they seem."

Ti- Kin visibly softened, a part of her hoping that her Padawan's words held truth. She saw the resolve in his eyes, and decided to place her trust in her 16-year-old student.

"Fine, but you will do as I say without question. Is that understood Dessane?" The Jedi Master, using his full name to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

"Understood, Master."

The two Jedi made their way to the underbelly of the temple, careful to avoid any open areas where they were not able to hide if needed. As they moved closer to the main part of the temple, they saw just how severe the destruction of the temple was. Bodies of Jedi, old and young littered the halls. Some with blaster holes but others with what looked like..slash marks.

Des and Ti-Kin moved closer to one of the corpses, carefully inspecting the damage that had been inflicted. The body, barely recognizable, looked like it had belonged to a humanoid of some sort, a male probably no older than 10.

Des so desperately wanted to turn away, to forget what he was seeing but he found that he could not.

"That wasn't done by a blaster, was it?" He held his gaze on the body for a few more seconds before turning away, waiting for his master's response.

"No. Do you see the way the marks intersect with one another?" Ti-Kin drew her lightsaber and made two quick slashes on the large stone column in front of them.

"Look at the marks on the torso and compare them to the ones I just made. These marks were intentional, made precisely by a person skilled with a lightsaber." Des looked on and compared the two. Making a note of how similar the slash marks looked to each other.

"So, you're saying that this is the work of a Sith? Or a Jedi gone rogue?"

Ti-Kin held her Padawan's gaze, making sure to choose her words carefully, as to not spook the boy. The last thing the Jedi Master needed was a Padawan frozen by fear. She waited a few seconds, let out a shuddered breath and responded to her Padawan.

"I don't know, Des. "

PRESENT

"Shit."

Des let out an audible sigh. He was filthy, exhausted and he was sure that two of his fingers were broken. He looked up at the group of troopers surrounding him on the landing, and made eye contact with one of the clones. He recognized the markings on the armor of this particular clone, a red logo of the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance. The armor belonged to CC- 8826, better known as Commander Neyo. Des and his Master, Ti-Kin, had fought alongside Neyo and his men several times throughout the clone wars. He had considered these men comrades. Friends even. If he could just reach out to his former friend, then maybe he would have a chance of surviving.

Des cradled his two broken fingers, watching Commander Neyo through a swollen eye.

"Neyo, it's me. Des. We fought together. Your men, Master Ti-kin, and I. Please don't do this." His plea for mercy was met with a cocked weapon.

"Good soldiers follow orders."

Des began to panic.

"LISTEN TO ME. You know me, remember Trandosha, we drove the Separatists off of that planet in less than a week. You know me."

"Good soldiers follow orders."

"Hey man, YOU FUCKING KNOW ME."

"Good sol-"

Des ignited his lightsaber before Neyo could finish, using the force to propel himself into the air. He swiped his lightsaber at the Commander, taking the clone trooper's head with him. The remaining soldiers followed suit, wildly firing at the Padawan, bullets flying throughout the alley. Blocking the bolts with his saber, Des used the commotion to angle his body towards his escape route, backing up slowly with every shot fired at him. He knew he was running out of time, and that there were probably reinforcements homing in on his exact location. He blocked the remainder of the bolts before he took off into a sprint and jumped onto the landing. Jumping between rooftops and heading into the direction of the Coruscanti Capitol.

 

1 HOUR BEFORE

The pair of Jedi continued their journey throughout the temple, hoping to find any survivors before it was too late. So far, they had come across nothing but dead bodies, the smell of ashes and scorched bodies permeating through the halls. Des looked at his master, he could see with every step the weariness etched on her face. He was beginning to realize that all was lost. He was beginning to realize that they needed to leave. Quickly.

"Master, I was wrong. I think we should le-".

Ti-Kin held up her hand to silence the boy, pushing his attention to what was directly in front of him, a body on the ground seemingly unmoving. It was a Twi'Lek.

"Master, why have we stopped?" He asked, wondering why his Master chose to make them stop.

Before he could say another word, the body began to cough and hack violently, blood spewing from her mouth, making Des jump about 10ft into the air. Ti-Kin, in one fluid motion moved to hold up the Twi'Lek's head, trying to provide her one last comfort before her death.

"Ti-Kin, Dessane." The Twi'Lek wheezed. Every breath she took, struggling to make it's way out of her bolt riddled body.

"What is it, Master Seku? What happened here?" Ti-Kin asked the dying Master, desperate to discover who and what caused the destruction of the Jedi Temple.

Seku inhaled for what would be the last time, and forced the words out of her mouth.

"The Sith have risen once more, Dark times have once again fallen upon the galaxy." The light of life seemed to flicker out of the Master's eyes at that moment. Des struggled to keep his emotions in check, he was taught from a young age that feeling emotion ultimately led to a path to the dark side. He did his best to remain stoic like his master.

Ti-Kin gently closed the eyelids of the Twi'Lek and placed her gently to the ground. She stepped over the body and continued forward without a word, Des following her closely behind.

"Master, how did you know she was alive?" Des asked, curious as to how his teacher was able to sense such a faint life source. He dared not ask again, knowing that his Master had heard him and would respond when appropriate. The Zabrak Master continued walking in silence until they both reached the doors leading out to the back of the temple.

Ti-Kin stopped and looked up at her Padawan, feeling a mix of pride and sorrow for the boy. She was proud of the Jedi he had become, the man he had become. She had seen him grow up in the temple, she was there when he was chosen to leave his home world of Stewjon. Though it was forbidden, she had felt a strong connection with the boy and she had come to care for him like a younger brother. She had grown to love him, much to the dismay of the Jedi Council, but swore to protect him like he was her own. She felt sorrow for the times to come, knowing that his life from now on would be filled with hardship.

"Dessane, there is much about the force that you still need to learn. Let the force guide you. Listen to it." She embraced her Padawan learner, for what she knew would be the last time. She had sensed the overwhelming presence of the Dark side heading straight toward the two Jedi. Ti-Kin knew that this was the end. After several moments, Dessane felt it too. He wondered how so much anger and hate could emanate from one person, it felt as though the air had become frigid.

Des saw the cloaked figure in the distance, leading what looked to be dozens of clone troopers towards them. Marching down the temple stairs. He immediately ignited his lightsaber, only to be stopped by his master.

"This isn't your fight, Dessane." Ti-Kin said, her eyes never leaving the cloaked figure.

"Master, we fight together. I'm not leaving you." Des replied, the boy could be stubborn when he wanted to be.

"Not this time, Padawan. It is time for you to go." She glanced at her Padawan but glanced away just as quickly. She couldn't look at the pain and hurt that was etched on the teenager's face.

Ti-Kin saw that the Padawan was unmoving, loyal to the end. She silently asked for his forgiveness as she used the force to push him over the edge of the stairwell, knowing that he would not be severely hurt from the fall. This bought her enough time to ignite her emerald saber and charge at the cloaked figure.

The clone troopers quickly drew their weapons, fingers hovering on the trigger, ready to fire at their master's command. Their master held his hand up, signalling for the troopers to back down, as this was his fight.


End file.
